Navarro Cinders
Navarro Cinders is one of the main antagonists of the Chosen series. One of the rare examples of a high-ranking Illuminati commander that wasn't born into the ranks, Navarro is renowned for both his great defensive tactics and his experience on the battlefield. He is one of Aralita's personally-chosen commandants, and has helped raise Prince Halos ever since he was a child. Personality As one of the older members of the cast, Navarro is a wise and experienced man. He is one of the most level-headed, sincere, and well-meaning villains in the entire series. Unlike many of his Esperanzan compatriots, Navarro has very little desire for conquest and isn't burdened with ambition, greed, or overwhelming pride. Really, his desire seems to revolve around keeping his cushy and aristocratic position instead of aiming for anything higher. Navarro is a very humble person at heart - at the end of the day, he seems concerned with providing for his families above all else, be it his biological family or his new family in the Illuminati. Though he secretly disagrees with a fair amount of the Illuminati's more extreme policies, he keeps his lips tight about all of it, because he's also thankful for them giving him such prominence and wealth. This is where he differs from Prince Halos, who has become far more vocal about his distaste for the Illuminati over time. Navarro prefers to keep his thoughts close to his chest, not wanting to lose what he considers a fragile and easily-replaced position. While Navarro is one of Halos' closest allies and supporters, he also doesn't outright support or join Halos - he merely gives him advice and guides him into figuring things out on his own. At the end of the day, Navarro's loyalties lie with the Illuminati. Navarro is far more fearsome and destructive on the battlefield than his day-to-day personality would imply. He is one of the Revolution's greatest foes in that regard. He doesn't shy away from accomplishing the objective no matter what the cost, and if that includes slaughtering Esperanza's enemies wholesale, then so be it. Navarro is not needlessly destructive - he dislikes involving civilians in military matters, and he tries to avoid environmental destruction as much as possible. He differs from Caliber and Giro in that he sometimes tries to find more peaceful or underhanded solutions to a problem - that can range anywhere from brokering deals with civilians, sending in spies, or offering to negotiate terms of surrender. He has a level of respect for Viola and the Chosen Ones some of his compatriots don't seem to carry. He is a very fatherly figure to both his younger soldiers and the people around him. His quasi-familial relationship with Halos is where this side of his personality shines - he is constantly teaching, tutoring, and guiding Halos. He always seems proud of Halos' achievements, and very rarely loses his temper with his Prince; his frustration often comes out as parental scolding at best. Like Salia, he cares about the names and identities of his subordinates, and does his best to treat them as individuals rather than pawns. Navarro often gives credit where credit is due, and is a source of morality and practicality to many in the military.